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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Facts

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating
condition that follows a terrifying event. Often, people
with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and
memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb,
especially with people they were once close to. PTSD,
once referred to as shell shock or battle fatigue, was
first brought to public attention by war veterans, but
it can result from any number of traumatic incidents.
These include kidnapping, serious accidents such as car
or train wrecks, natural disasters such as floods or
earthquakes, violent attacks such as a mugging, rape, or
torture, or being held captive. The event that triggers
it may be something that threatened the person's life or
the life of someone close to him or her. Or it could be
something witnessed, such as mass destruction after a
plane crash.

Whatever the source of the problem, some
people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in the
form of nightmares and disturbing recollections during
the day. They may also experience sleep problems,
depression, feeling detached or numb, or being easily
startled. They may lose interest in things they used to
enjoy and have trouble feeling affectionate. They may
feel irritable, more aggressive than before, or even
violent. Seeing things that remind them of the incident
may be very distressing, which could lead them to avoid
certain places or situations that bring back those
memories. Anniversaries of the event are often very
difficult.

PTSD can occur at any age, including
childhood. The disorder can be accompanied by
depression, substance abuse, or anxiety. Symptoms may be
mild or severe—people may become easily irritated or
have violent outbursts. In severe cases they may have
trouble working or socializing. In general, the symptoms
seem to be worse if the event that triggered them was
initiated by a person—such as a rape, as opposed to a
flood.

Ordinary events can serve as reminders
of the trauma and trigger flashbacks or intrusive
images. A flashback may make the person lose touch with
reality and reenact the event for a period of seconds or
hours or, very rarely, days. A person having a
flashback, which can come in the form of images, sounds,
smells, or feelings, usually believes that the traumatic
event is happening all over again.

Not every traumatized person gets
full-blown PTSD, or experiences PTSD at all. PTSD is
diagnosed only if the symptoms last more than a month.
In those who do have PTSD, symptoms usually begin within
3 months of the trauma, and the course of the illness
varies. Some people recover within 6 months, others have
symptoms that last much longer. In some cases, the
condition may be chronic. Occasionally, the illness
doesn't show up until years after the traumatic event.

*Source:The
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is part of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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